Production Logistics: 'How to Rob a Bank' Adapted Around Actor Injury and Tight Schedule

David Leitch's sixth feature, 'How to Rob a Bank,' prioritized efficient production methods to accommodate a 40-day shooting schedule and the physical limitations of lead actor Nicholas Hoult. The film, scheduled for theatrical release on November 13, was produced by Amazon MGM and filmed in Pittsburgh, where it injected nearly $60 million into the local economy to secure tax incentives.

The production faced a scheduling challenge when Hoult tore his anterior cruciate ligament while playing basketball shortly before principal photography began. Instead of undergoing surgery and exiting the project, the actor committed to intensive physical therapy three times a week. Leitch and his producing partner, Kelly McCormick, restructured the shoot to minimize the physical toll on Hoult, leveraging a second unit he dubbed the 'YouTube unit.'

This second unit consisted primarily of stunt performers tasked with capturing the masked robbery sequences. By isolating the action-heavy scenes, Leitch and his principal cast, which includes John C. Reilly, Zoë Kravitz, and Anna Sawai, could focus on the character-driven drama. The logistical approach allowed the film to maintain a lower budget than Leitch's previous work, 'The Fall Guy,' which cost an estimated $125 million to $150 million and required 86 shooting days.

To visually distinguish the two halves of the narrative, the team shot the in-universe social media content on prosumer digital cameras and DJI drones. The unmasked dramatic scenes were filmed on 35mm film, a format that Leitch described as requiring extensive financial calculation due to the project's mid-budget constraints. The masks worn by the heist crew also served a practical purpose, helping to obscure Hoult's limp and injury during the action sequences.

Leitch noted that the film's anti-capitalist themes did not face pushback from the studio despite its distribution by the world's largest company by revenue. 'They want things to be provocative, and they want to encourage artists to speak their mind,' Leitch said regarding the reaction at Amazon MGM. The director acknowledged that while Hoult had a torn ACL, the actor performed much of his own physical work, including a garage fight scene.

The film follows a crew of altruistic bank robbers who document their exploits on a YouTube channel to critique economic institutions. Leitch stated that the goal was to encourage audiences to be proactive in their own lives, specifically through voting and community engagement. The production concluded its shoot in 40 days, half the duration of 'The Fall Guy,' allowing the team to move quickly while managing the actor's recovery.

Leitch is currently attached to a new project titled 'Jason Statham Stole My Bike,' starring Jason Statham. He described the selection of 'How to Rob a Bank' as a priority among his many projects in development, citing the script's contemporary focus on content creators and social media as the primary draw. The film combines heist genre conventions with a dramedy structure to address rising cost of living concerns.